Polo y servicio was a practice employed by Spanish colonizers for over 250 years that required the

forced labor of all Filipino males from 16 to 60 years old for 40-day periods. The workers could be placed
on any project the Spanish wanted, despite hazardous or unhealthy conditions.

The Philippines acted as the epicenter of the Spanish Galleon trade from Manila to Acapulco, which was
so prosperous for Spain that it neglected to consider and develop the colony's local industries. The
Filipino people were agriculturally based and grew crops, not only for profit, but also for their own diet.
Aside from injuring and killing many Filipino males, the polo y servicio crippled the ability of the Filipinos
to feed themselves, causing hunger and frustration and leading to numerous rebellions.

As an example, Puente Dr Malagonlong, one of the 12 Spanish colonial arched bridges build through the
Polo Y Servicio and the other heritage sites in the locality.

During Spanish regime, all male Filipinos from 18 to 60 years were needed to offer their particular
free work, known as polo, to your federal government. This work ended up being for 40 times a
year, reduced to 15 times in 1884. It had been in various forms, particularly building roads and
bridges, making community buildings and churches, cutting timber within the woodland, involved
in shipyards, and providing the Spanish military expeditions. One who rendered forced-labor
ended up being known as a polista.
The members of the principalia (town aristocracy) were exempt from the polo. Rich Filipinos
annually paid the falla, a sum amounting to seven pesos, in order to be exempt from forced-labor.
The neighborhood officials (previous and incumbent gobernadorcillos, cabezas de barangay, etc.)
and schoolteachers were additionally exempted legally from the polio due to their services to your
condition.
Evidently, just the bad Filipinos who’d no personal or governmental standing in the neighborhood
were made to offer forced-labor. This training greatly added to your extensive Filipino aversion to
real work, which has just already been overcome by attractive wages offshore.
The conditions for forced-labor were (1) so it must be used limited to needed general public works
and buildings meant to increase the neighborhood; (2) the workers were become paid-in full
because of their work; (3) the alcaldes gran should think about the physical condition of each and
every laborer, that’s, the weak should not be overworked; (4) the laborers should not be delivered
to operate in remote lands; (5) the offering of solution must be timed in order to not affect the
planting or collect months.
All of this ended up being great just in some recoverable format, nevertheless; the regulations of
forced-labor were often broken. Laborers were rarely paid their particular wages. They certainly
were divided from their families when you’re made to operate in remote places. They certainly
were not offered meals, as required legally; they had to produce their very own meals as an
alternative. Moreover, these people were shamefully overworked, and several thousand Filipino
laborers died during the worksites because of this.
During the Spanish regime, all male Filipinos from 18 to 60 years of age were required to give their free
labor, called polo, to the government. This labor was for 40 days a year, reduced to 15 days in 1884. It
was in various forms, such as building roads and bridges, constructing public buildings and churches,
cutting timber in the forest, working in shipyards, and serving the Spanish military expeditions. One who
rendered forced labor was called a polista.

The members of the principalia (town aristocracy) were exempt from the polo. Rich Filipinos annually
paid the falla, a sum amounting to seven pesos, in order to be exempt from forced labor. The local
officials (former and incumbent gobernadorcillos, cabezas de barangay, etc.) and schoolteachers were
also exempted by law from the polio because of their services to the state.

Evidently, only the poor Filipinos who had no social or political standing in the community were made to
give forced labor. This practice greatly contributed to the widespread Filipino aversion to physical labor,
which has only recently been overcome by attractive wages overseas.

The conditions for forced labor were (1) that it should be used only for necessary public works and
constructions intended to improve the community; (2) that the workers were to be paid in full for their
work; (3) that the alcaldes mayor should consider the physical condition of each laborer, that is, the
weak should not be overworked; (4) that the laborers should not be sent to work in distant lands; (5)
that the giving of service should be timed so as not to interfere with the planting or harvest seasons.

All this was good only on paper, however; the laws of forced labor were often violated. Laborers were
seldom paid their wages. They were separated from their families by being made to work in distant
areas. They were not given food, as required by law; they had to provide their own food instead.
Moreover, they were shamefully overworked, and thousands of Filipino laborers died at the worksites as
a result.

HUMAN RIGHTS denied the Filipinos - No freedom of expression

Human rights denied to the Filipinos- refers to the view of the Spaniards that a Filipino is a slave in which
do not have any right to enjoy.

View of Spaniard that a Filipino is a slave and have no right to enjoy.

History records how the colonial governments suppressed the freedom of expression during the 1800s
and 1900s. Any criticism to foreign tyranny was associated with rebellion.

La Solidaridad became so widely circulated that it helped awaken the upper class to the horrors of
colonial oppression. aside from the Illiustrados (the educated Filipinos)

Human Rights Denied to Filipinos Since the adoption of the Spanish Constitution of 1812, the people of
Spain enjoyed freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of association and other human rights
except freedom of religion. -Aden -Malaya -Singapore -Egypt -Australia -New Zealand
Strangely enough, the Spanish authorities who cherished these human rights or constitutional liberties
in Spain denied them to the Filipino in Asia.

Human rights denied to Filipinos

The Filipinos were denied of basic human rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of association, and the like. The symbolic “Cry of Pugadlawin” was a way to refute the
oppression of the Spaniards because cedula was the manifestation of their tyranny in the country. La
Solidaridad is also an example in refuting to this but however, it failed and was confiscated in mails
because aside from its failing foundation, the Spanish court did not agree with its demands.